$2K USD a month until you buy for $67K. It says you only make the monthly payment until you purchase, so not sure what else is involved.

The government fireworks for Christmas Eve were cancelled for some reason. So a picture will have to suffice. Fireworks for individuals have been declared illegal since 1994. The two years before that we set off ones that could have blown you to bits in Cần Thơ . :)

Last year.

I ordered a small bowl of Pho this time and my stomach still hurts. Insane.

Some things never change.

The lady on the bike furious about something, but couldn't hear why.

Instead of $ or VND, they are listing as gold, 1.8 ty Việt Nam ($80,000)

They bring the check in these. First restaurant so far.

I used rice paper and noodles along with the rest and could only eat
two out of eight. Actually, I like to just cover the meat with a lettuce leaf and mints as the rice paper and
noodles really fill you up. $1.40.

$1.19

? :)

A 960 mg antibiotic pill (Two ingredients ) made by Germans, STADA, in Vietnam. 48 cents a piece. The Germans also make another which is 500mg though with different ingredients. 22 cents.

I get my daily exercise at the top floor restaurant. The plants are so healthy, you would think they were fake. Parts of the roof roll back if liked.

Buddhist shrine

Catholic shrine at the place I bought the food below.

I managed to eat half only, once again. :) $1.19.

Amazing. $400 a month and there is nothing deficient.

******************

I. Haven't seen school girls bicycling by in their white Ao dais, but hopefully will when I head South. Believe it or not, the Communists banned them when they first took over. :)

II. There were seldom overweight people here before, but there are now.

III. I've noticed people trash items now that would have been repaired before.

IV. Opposite sexes never showed affection in public before, but some do now sparingly. Nothing much, but observable.

V. I adjusted monthly payments at home before I came saving about $250. The hotel is $400, but in three weeks I have only spent $365 on everything, so I am actually spending less here. You could cut these expenses in 1/2 if you prepared your own meals and moved into a cheaper place. Very cheap if you could do without A/C and this time of year you don't need it.

********************************

President Kennedy’s failure to challenge North Vietnam’s glaring and
extensive violation of the 1962 Geneva Treaty on the neutrality of Laos,
President Johnson’s compounding of this error by allowing Laos and
Cambodia to become sanctuaries for North Vietnamese troops and supplies,
and Kennedy’s regime change call that encouraged a South Vietnamese
military junta to replace elected South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh
Diem.

The junta unfortunately murdered Diem and his brother, Ngo Dinh
Nhu. This threw South Vietnamese civil government and military
leadership into chaos for over two years, which the Communists exploited
to the fullest, forcing a huge expansion of American commitment and
troops. This regime change was the greatest mistake of the war.
President Carter’s failure to support the Shah of Iran, long-time U.S.
ally, in the Iranian Islamic Revolution of 1979, and the Obama/Hillary
Clinton backed Arab Spring involving Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and Syria in
2011 were repeats of this media-pleasing liberal ideological error.

The fourth major error in Vietnam was the Johnson-McNamara theory of
warfare—variously called “graded escalation,” “gradual escalation,” “the
doctrine of gradualism,” or sometimes just “the slow squeeze.” It was
the brainchild of Harvard academics, and Secretary of Defense Robert
McNamara was its foremost ranking advocate. Lyndon Johnson became its
most faithful and powerful executive disciple. However bright the
strategy of graded escalation might have seemed to Harvard whiz kids and
game theorists, it went against the accumulated military wisdom of
centuries.

The Joint-Chiefs-of-Staff ( JCS), Pacific Area Commander
Admiral Grant Sharp, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Defense
Intelligence Agency, the State Department Intelligence Agency, and
Secretary of State Dean Rusk all strongly opposed it The JCS and the
intelligence agencies consistently advocated quick and decisive action
against North Vietnam, including bombing critical military, air, naval,
transportation, industrial, and fuel storage targets in all parts of
North Vietnam, especially those near Hanoi and Haiphong. The Navy
advocated aerial mining of Haiphong’s strategic port. Conventional
military wisdom is to hit an enemy as hard and fast as you can to
maximize his costs and minimize your own risks and costs. A Marine
Gunnery Sergeant once gave the advice: “Hit ‘em as hard as you can, when
they ain’t looking.”

When former Texas governor Rick Perry ran for president in 2012,
he promised he'd abolish the U.S. Department of Energy (at least when
he could remember it). Liberals wrote this off as typical conservative
stupidity.

Why would anyone want to abolish the DOE? According to one liberal commentator,
it was because the department "was established during Jimmy Carter's
administration and it perhaps sounds like it might have something to do
with solar panels."

Jimmy Carter created it, all right, but solar panels were only a
symptom of the real problem. The DOE was conceived in dark and
pessimistic beliefs and forecasts that have proven totally wrong. As
Obama might say, the DOE is on the wrong side of history. As it stands
the department needs to either be rethought or retired.

It was the end of the big year with three zeroes. The first X-Men
movie had broken box office records. You couldn’t set foot in a
supermarket without listening to Brittney Spears caterwauling, “Oops, I
Did It Again.” And Republicans and Democrats had total control of both
chambers of legislatures in the same amount of states. That was the way
it was back in the distant days of the year 2000.

In 2016, Republicans control both legislative chambers in 32 states. That’s up from 16 in 2000.

What happened to the big donkey? Among other things, the Democrats
decided to sell their base and their soul to a very bad billionaire and
they got a very bad deal for both.

“According to Real Clear Politics poll
averages most of Obama’s presidency was spent with 60%+ of the
U.S. believing that the country was headed in the wrong direction. At
several points during his presidency 75%+ of the U.S. believed the
country was headed in the wrong direction…

…The Democratic Party suffered huge losses at every level during Obama’s West Wing tenure.

The
grand total: a net loss of 1,042 state and federal Democratic posts,
including congressional and state legislative seats, governorships and
the presidency. “

They may be illegal, but I doubt if they are doing anything other than what most Vietnamese do. They work on commission, so the longer hours they work, the more money they make. 6 12 hour days is normal with some 6 1/2 and 7 days.

British
immigration officers have raided nearly 300 nail salons and arrested 97
people, mostly from Vietnam, for suspected immigration offences as part
of a drive to tackle modern slavery, the Home Office said on Wednesday.

"Operation
Magnify", a week-long operation concluded earlier this month, was a
cross-government drive to stamp out illegal working by targeting
specific "risk" industries, said the Home Office, Britain's interior
ministry, in a statement.

President Obama,
who this week has issued a flurry of environmental rules, is planning
to unleash another set of "midnight regulations" right before he leaves
office that will cost Americans $6 billion.

Obama has already broken all past records on creating federal regulations and red tape, and his new adds will boost the overall price tag to over $1 trillion.

The new regulations, according to the watchdog group American Action Forum, include four from the Environmental Protection Agency and one from Interior.

Remembrance

Winners: Navy Cross Nguyen Van Kiet & MOH Thomas R. Norris This week’s Medal of Honor hero is one of a handful of Navy SEALs awarded the MOH in the Vietnam War. Norris snuck behind enemy lines with a South Vietnamese Navy petty officer rescued two downed pilots in 1972–when most of our resources had been pulled from the country. Interesting to note that later year, Norris was himself rescued by another SEAL Michael E. Thornton.More @ Medal of Honor Roll Call

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Core Creek Militia

==============================My sixth great grandfather, his wife, and five of his six children were killed in battle with the Tuscarora Indians at Core Creek, NC.

The Seven Blackbirds

==============================My third great grandfather was an Ensign in the Revolutionary War, and saved his unit's flag after being wounded at the Battle of Brandywine. He was also at Kingston (Kinston), Wilmington, Charleston, Two Sisters and Augusta. He was at the defeat at Brier Creek and also Bee Creek.

Requiem Aeternam -
Eternal Rest Grant unto Them
==============================
My second great grandfather was killed in action on May 3, 1863 at the Battle of Chancellorsville.
=============================
My great grandfather and great uncle knew all the men in the "Civil War Requiem" video as they were part of the 53rd NC which was the sole unit defending Fort Mahone. (Fort Mahone was named "Fort Damnation" by the Yankees) *Handpicked men of the 53rd (My great grandfather was one of these) made the final, night assault at Petersburg in an attempt to break Grant's line. This was against Fort Stedman which was a few miles to the slight northeast. They initially succeeded, but reinforcements drove them back. This video is made from photographs which were taken the day after the 53rd evacuated the lines the night before to begin the retreat to Appomattox. I have many more pictures taken by the same photographer, one of these shows a 14 year old boy and the other is the famous picture of the blond, handsome soldier with his musket.
===========================
*General Gordon promised the men a gold medal and 30 days leave if they accomplished their task and many years after the War my great grandfather wrote General Gordon, who was then governor of Georgia about this incident. They exchanged several letters which I have framed. See first link below.
===========================
*The Attack On Fort Stedman
============================
"His Colored Friends"
============================
Lee's Surrender
=============================
My Black NC Kinfolks
============================
Punished For Being Caught!

Great Grandfather Koonce

He was a drummer boy in the WBTS, survived the War only to die a few years later. He was caught in an ice storm on his way home, but instead of seeking shelter, continued on his horse until the end. His clothes had to be cut off and he died a few days later.

Thank you

I would just like you to know how so very glad I am that I found your blog. I have learned more history from you and the many links that you post than I have from reading all my history books. I can never thank you enough for the education you are freely giving me. It is priceless. And eye opening.

Many times I will not comment, but that does not mean I am not reading and learning.

You sir, are an educator. Thank you.

PhyllisWantage, NJ

Good morning Mr. Townsend,

Just to let you know I have finally finished that massive tome on General Lee. I never knew 1/10th of what a great man he was. No wonder the South is so proud of him! So sad that we have few men of his caliber today. We need them desperately. I have learned more history through you and your blog than I thought I could ever learn. I am very grateful to you. Thank you so much for taking time to answer my e-mail. And thank you for your blog and for opening my eyes.

PhyllisWantage, NJ

".......So good to hear from you! And also so pleased you are converting more of us Yankees! You have no idea how many people you have taught. And how many are so grateful to you for showing us the truth."

Your faithful friend,

Phylis

==============================

I have also learned from Brock Townsend and two nurses lately, that appreciation expressed by someone for whom you have great respect overwhelms the lack of appreciation by some from whom you expect it. I believe that we cannot really know which small bit of help makes the life-saving difference. ﻿I may have learned more real American history on Brock's blog than in 20 years of government schooling.

I have learned more history from you than all the years I was supposed to be in school (and not out hunting or fishing).

==============================

I really must say, I like thousands of others have said, your blog is the best out there and with all of your history and experience, you should run for *president. I look forward to reading your blog every day and every day I learn from you. Thank you for the time you put into this effort .

Sincerely,

Scott Fitts

*It would have to be an improvement. :) BT

==============================

Hi Brock,

Ever since I picked up on your blog I "Knew" you were a "Gentleman of the South!" You lack the "Crassness" that is so prevalent in today's Sociopolitical arena but speak with the Firmness in Truth and Conviction of Right like the words of our Late Great President Jefferson Davis! That is Honorable.

I have been thinking about this for a while now. At first it was a very subtle notice, then it became larger as I saw more. Then it bloomed to me to be what it is. In your writings, in your Blog, Brock, "You" have written, posted and done more to eradicate the "Revisionist History" forced on us by the "Northern Aggressors,"BAR NONE!!!" The "Stars and Bars" fly High and Proud today even more thanks to your efforts!

Reading your post on 03 JUNE about the birthday of President Jefferson Davis and the "quotes" of his was the galvanizing statement! The first words of "His" you posted say so much, are timeless and can never be "Destroyed!" by any man! .......and those words were........

"Truth crushed to the earth is still truth still and like a seed will rise again."--Jefferson Davis (1808-1889)

In so many ways you and your efforts to keep and carry on the "Truth of the South" are the water and light of the Sun that nourish "That Seed" that Jefferson Davis speaks of! That "Seed" of "Southern Truth!" That cannot be vanquished because of efforts like Men as yourself!

Thanks for your selfless effort,

The "Stars and Bars" FLY!

Got gunz....OUTLAW?

III%,

skybill-out

=============================

Dear Mr. Townsend,

I wanted to write to thank you for the pleasure and education I have received from reading your blog "Free North Carolina". I can honestly say that FNC is one of the first sites I visit daily.

I am a northerner by birth yet I consider the vilification of all things "South" a true and tragic disgrace. Your work has enabled me to become more familiar with a culture that I admire, yet have never really been familiar with.

Keep up the outstanding work!

A friend north of the Mason-Dixon Line,

Bob

===============================

My good sir,

I have been reading your blog for years, filling-in the woeful gaps in my knowledge thanks to your efforts, and have been truly impressed with not merely the depth and breadth of the topics you broach, but the frank and honest way you deal with them.

I salute you.

You cannot imagine my immense delight at just reading the "Witting, intentionally, and willfully..." posted on your site, that you linked to Theo Spark's blog.

I'm the guy that wrote it and sent it to Theo a few days ago.

On both our behalves, thank you for posting it on your fine blog.

With warmest personal regards,

Rico

refzip.com

http://refzip.com/

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